The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hub assemblies, and more particularly to a quick release hub assembly for a wheel, which may be utilized for a bicycle, jogging stroller, or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Jogging strollers have become prevalent for young persons with children. Such vehicles enable a parent to exercise while minding one or more children in the stroller. In addition, for the bicycle crowd, other accessory devices have become common, such as trailers suitably configured for hauling behind a bicycle. For such devices such as strollers and trailers, one of the necessary characteristics required by a consumer or user is the feature of collapsibility, preferably expeditious collapsibility without the use of tools. One of the major considerations is the removal of the one or more wheels of the bicycle accessory device in a timely manner without tools. Wheels used for such devices are normally bicycle type wheels, that is, spoked wheels with pneumatic bicycle tires.
So-called ten-speed bicycles and the like are provided with releasable hubs for the front and, sometimes, rear wheels. A bicycle wheel assembly for such a front wheel includes an axle bolt threaded at both ends for passing through the wheel hub opening with bearing caps threaded to both ends after the bearings are in place with the wheel. This assembly is attached by the axle being placed between the slotted openings of the forks and end nuts suitably affixed to the ends of the axle bolt. For a quick release, generally at least one of the end nuts has been enlarged and provided as a cap nut with a pivotable handle having the pivot axis passing through the cap to provide a lever for enabling tightening and loosening of the wheel hub assembly without tools. The lever essentially acts as a captive wrench handle. One of the main disadvantages of such a cap nut is that the rotation of the rather short handle oftentimes resulting in bruised knuckles due to the proximity of the handle to the spokes and forks of the bike.
With jogging strollers and bicycle trailers, the construction is ordinarily of tubular aluminum, and the wheel attachment means are provided at the ends of such tubes. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a quick release hub assembly utilizing cam action for assembly and disassembly of a wheel within an opening at the end of a tubular member on a vehicle, such as a jogging stroller, a bicycle trailer, or the like.